stethoscope hanging loosely around his neck, he looked very much like the cliché doctor.
“Hey yourself. How are you doing?” he asked, brows lowered and his voice laced with concern. “You’ve seemed distracted these past few days. Everything okay at home?”
Alana half shrugged. “Home is great. Everyone’s just busy with the wedding, you know.”
“That’s right. Sera told me she’s planning to come over for it,” he said.
Alana glanced down at her watch. “Hey, I was wondering…do you know where I can find Mr. Malek?” she asked distractedly.
He took a step back and narrowed his eyes. “Chase Malek? Why do you want to know where he is?”
Alana bit her lip. “Um…no particular reason. I just heard he was leaving today. So, do you know?”
“He had a meeting in the pediatric ward this morning. You can check there.…” he trailed off as Alana started to hurry off in that direction.
“Thanks, Manu! I’ll see you around,” she called back.
“Hey, we should hang out soon!” he announced, his posture rigid.
“Sounds good, will text you!” she called back.
Alana rushed to the pediatric ward. The walls were painted with colorful images of animals, balloons, and happy, smiling children, a sharp contrast to everything that was enclosed within. The smell of disinfectant and sickness flooded her nostrils as she heard a child cough and another cry in the distance. Shuffling to the front desk, she was met by a nurse with graying hair and thin, stern lips. She sat behind a computer rapidly typing away at the keyboard with two thick fingers. She looked up when Alana approached.
“I’m Nurse Alana Vilo. I was wondering if you can tell me where I can find Mr. Chase Malek?” she asked nervously, her voice getting higher and squeakier.
“Mr. Malek? He left already. You missed him by ten minutes. He’s heading to the airport now.” The nurse returned her gaze to the computer and continued typing.
“Thank you.” Disappointed, Alana turned away and walked out the front doors.
When she hit the breezeway, she began to walk briskly, hoping that by some miracle she would catch him in the car park. Reaching it, she scanned the area and spotted the familiar dark SUV. It was stationery and Chase was standing beside it talking to a couple doctors. Alana sighed in relief and noticed he was dressed impeccably in a blue button down, sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. Shaking their hands in farewell, Chase climbed into the back seat and the door was closed firmly behind him.
Her heart beat faster as the vehicle started to roll towards the exit. Hoping to catch it before it made its way to the main road, she rushed across the lot. Alana’s mind raced and battled against her legs as she ran to intercept it. Was she crazy? It’s too late, let it go! Advancing quickly, she picked up her pace and threw herself in front of the car before it came to a screeching halt a few inches in front of her. Her arms were splayed out in front of the hood while her heart beat thunderously in her chest. The back door flew open, and Chase stepped out angrily.
“Are you insane? We almost hit you!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Malek, but I had to speak with you,” Alana straightened, trying to catch her breath from her sprint. She really did feel insane and slightly embarrassed now that she was face to face with him.
“Alana?” He shut the door and walked over to where she stood. “What are you doing here?”
Alana glanced at the driver apologetically before lowering her arms, shifting her feet to face him. Here goes. No turning back now that you’ve made a spectacle of yourself.
“Mr. Malek, I need answers,” she started.
Chase glanced up at the sky and sighed. “Alana, I’m on my way to the airport. I don’t have time to speak with you.”
Alana’s patience waned. “You can’t just avoid me,” she retorted. “You can’t leave without explaining yourself.”
She stared at his face and noticed his eyes
“Hey yourself. How are you doing?” he asked, brows lowered and his voice laced with concern. “You’ve seemed distracted these past few days. Everything okay at home?”
Alana half shrugged. “Home is great. Everyone’s just busy with the wedding, you know.”
“That’s right. Sera told me she’s planning to come over for it,” he said.
Alana glanced down at her watch. “Hey, I was wondering…do you know where I can find Mr. Malek?” she asked distractedly.
He took a step back and narrowed his eyes. “Chase Malek? Why do you want to know where he is?”
Alana bit her lip. “Um…no particular reason. I just heard he was leaving today. So, do you know?”
“He had a meeting in the pediatric ward this morning. You can check there.…” he trailed off as Alana started to hurry off in that direction.
“Thanks, Manu! I’ll see you around,” she called back.
“Hey, we should hang out soon!” he announced, his posture rigid.
“Sounds good, will text you!” she called back.
Alana rushed to the pediatric ward. The walls were painted with colorful images of animals, balloons, and happy, smiling children, a sharp contrast to everything that was enclosed within. The smell of disinfectant and sickness flooded her nostrils as she heard a child cough and another cry in the distance. Shuffling to the front desk, she was met by a nurse with graying hair and thin, stern lips. She sat behind a computer rapidly typing away at the keyboard with two thick fingers. She looked up when Alana approached.
“I’m Nurse Alana Vilo. I was wondering if you can tell me where I can find Mr. Chase Malek?” she asked nervously, her voice getting higher and squeakier.
“Mr. Malek? He left already. You missed him by ten minutes. He’s heading to the airport now.” The nurse returned her gaze to the computer and continued typing.
“Thank you.” Disappointed, Alana turned away and walked out the front doors.
When she hit the breezeway, she began to walk briskly, hoping that by some miracle she would catch him in the car park. Reaching it, she scanned the area and spotted the familiar dark SUV. It was stationery and Chase was standing beside it talking to a couple doctors. Alana sighed in relief and noticed he was dressed impeccably in a blue button down, sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. Shaking their hands in farewell, Chase climbed into the back seat and the door was closed firmly behind him.
Her heart beat faster as the vehicle started to roll towards the exit. Hoping to catch it before it made its way to the main road, she rushed across the lot. Alana’s mind raced and battled against her legs as she ran to intercept it. Was she crazy? It’s too late, let it go! Advancing quickly, she picked up her pace and threw herself in front of the car before it came to a screeching halt a few inches in front of her. Her arms were splayed out in front of the hood while her heart beat thunderously in her chest. The back door flew open, and Chase stepped out angrily.
“Are you insane? We almost hit you!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Malek, but I had to speak with you,” Alana straightened, trying to catch her breath from her sprint. She really did feel insane and slightly embarrassed now that she was face to face with him.
“Alana?” He shut the door and walked over to where she stood. “What are you doing here?”
Alana glanced at the driver apologetically before lowering her arms, shifting her feet to face him. Here goes. No turning back now that you’ve made a spectacle of yourself.
“Mr. Malek, I need answers,” she started.
Chase glanced up at the sky and sighed. “Alana, I’m on my way to the airport. I don’t have time to speak with you.”
Alana’s patience waned. “You can’t just avoid me,” she retorted. “You can’t leave without explaining yourself.”
She stared at his face and noticed his eyes
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